“The Defeat Is 1000% My Fault”: Álvaro Arbeloa takes full blame after Real Madrid’s shock 2-1 defeat to Mallorca

Real Madrid suffered a disappointing 2-1 loss away to Real Mallorca in La Liga Matchday 30 on Saturday, handing a significant boost to title rivals FC Barcelona.

The defeat leaves Los Blancos on 69 points in second place, while Barcelona—currently leading the table—benefit as Madrid fail to close the gap in the tight 2025-26 title race.

Match Summary: Late Drama Ends in Heartbreak for Real Madrid

• Manuel Morlanes gave Mallorca the lead in the 41st minute.
• Eder Militão equalised for Real Madrid in the 89th minutesparking hopes of a comeback.
• However, Fede Moriki scored the winner for the hosts in the 90+1st minutesecuring a vital victory for Mallorca (now on 31 points in 17th place).

Despite dominating possession at times, Real Madrid struggled to break down a resilient Mallorca side fighting for survival. The late concession proved costly in a match where Madrid were expected to collect all three points.

Arbeloa’s Honest Admission: “It’s 1000% My Fault”

In his post-match comments, interim or new head coach Alvaro Arbeloa took complete responsibility for the defeat, echoing his earlier statements after tough results.

“The defeat is on me. It’s 1000% my fault. We didn’t do today what we trained for all week. We didn’t create chances well, we lacked patience, we lacked energy, and we lacked ideas.”

Arbeloa, a Real Madrid legend as a player, has been vocal about owning poor performances. He previously shouldered blame for other setbacks, stressing that as coach he decides the lineup, tactics, and substitutions. His frankness highlights the pressure at the Bernabéu, where even draws can feel like failures.

The team appeared off the pace after the international break, failing to replicate training intensity on the pitch. Arbeloa pointed out deficiencies in chance creation, patience in build-up, energy levels, and overall creativity—issues that Mallorca exploited effectively.